In fact, his father Harvey, now 85, had been one of the original officers on the case 40 years earlier. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. physical distance - it was a 2 hour drive to and from mason city to cedar rapids. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. . . When Denlinger reminded Burns that Michelle had been killed in 1979, Burns responded, "It was a big deal. Around 4 a.m., Martinko was found inside her familys Buick Electra. The case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns. Jeremy Lynn (born June 12, 1963), better known by the ring name Jerry Lynn, is an American retired professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling as a producer and coach. Homerline, a soft-spoken woman who enjoyed teaching Sunday School, did everything possible to avoid attention. family - he had 3 kids - tough to sneak away for 4 hours when you have kids unless he was on a business trip. On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder. [18], For some time, a prime suspect in Martinko's murder was a man who had, the month before, broken into a Cedar Rapids home, raped a woman at knifepoint, and threatened to kill her children. God finally won. At the time of his arrest, Burns ran a powder-coating business called, Advanced Coating Concepts. [2] A police spokesman said that "everyone's instinct is to say it was a guy", but they were not sure of the sex of the killer. The Vikings organization is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful . Thank you!! After her parents reported her missing at 2 a.m., police discovered the teen's body in her vehicle about four hours later. Jerry Lynn Burns is accused of the 1979 cold case murder of Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. You have permission to edit this article. An investigator with the Cedar Rapids police department contacted DNA-tested members of two of the branches of the family tree, and eliminated those branches as containing the killer. Burns is being held at the Linn County jail on a $5 million cash-only bond. 1, 2023 9:40 am7h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:22 pm23h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:19 pm23h ago, Jeff Linder High School Basketball 21m ago21m ago. 1, 2021 3:52 pm608d ago, Caleb McCullough Health Care and Medicine Jun. Burns' attorney, Leon Spies, also argued in his suppression motion that the computer evidence is irrelevant because it's from 2018 - 38 years after Martinko's death. When the detectives first investigated this case, they thought of the homicide as being personal in nature - based on the 10 stab wounds . Grab your popcorn & get comfy as we dive into some dusty old cases revitalized thanks to genetic genealogy (& a bit of good ol' fashioned detective work! v. Jerry Lynn Burns. 6931989, Anamosa State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, IA 52205. But he said he and another investigator had no plans to arrest Burns that day. Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest. Blond / All American Girls - Jodi was a bit older. Accountability doled out to suspects. Like all the cases I cover, Michelles was solved using forensic genealogy, which led police to Jerry Lynn Burns. Jim grew up . Jerry Lynn Burns will be in prison for the rest of his days. Let's uncover where he is now in this article. Despite being known as a professional, Burns arrest got people talking about his family. Police had searched his computer after arresting him, and found a history of searches pertaining to nefarious subjects including the murder of blonde women, and pornographic matter involving blonde women. The man charged with killing Michelle Martinko 39 years ago is not a suspect in the death of his wife or disappearance of his cousin, according to investigators. Spies, on cross examination, asked if Denlinger had permission from Burns' two brothers and a distant cousin to access their DNA in developing a suspect pool. A hearing over whether to allow the evidence at trial continued Thursday for a second day. And I went 'bingo'.". Jerry Burns, of Manchester, is led into a courtroom at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport for closing arguments in his murder trial in February 2020. Police covertly obtained Burns' DNA from a drinking straw he left it on a table after eating lunch Oct. 29, 2018, at the Pizza Ranch in Manchester, testimony showed. His cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on the 19th of December 2013. Then in 2018, DNA phenotyping company GEDmatch, a public genealogy website that famously helped catch the Golden State Killer, started creating a family tree based on the killers DNA. Last week, a police investigator explained how using a public genealogy database - called GEDmatch - led to Burns being identified as a match to the DNA evidence found on Martinko's dress and gearshift of her car, where her body was found Dec. 20, 1979. Exactly 39 years after Michelle Martinko's body was found, DNA evidence led to the arrest of a Manchester man who was charged with her 1979 murder. The hearing will continue in Linn County District Court, though a date has not been set. Jerry Burns stands with his lawyer Leon Spies (right) during a recess in the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Burns of Manchester at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. "Murder at . Daryl F. Gates' Police Quest: SWAT, a group of 41 people. Denlinger had found the needle in the haystack. On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder of Michelle Martinko. It was a cold case until 2018, when familial DNA identified a suspect 39 years after the crime who was charged, tried and convicted of her murder.[2]. LEON SPIES: The state's scenario here is that Jerry Burns, a married man with two young children at home, leaves, drives to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the night, leaving his wife and children behind . See if it is.. She was seen inside the mall by friends and coworkers because Martinko worked in the mall. The DNA was uploaded to the law enforcement database called Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, but investigators never found a match, police said. "Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case," reported by "48 Hours" contributor Jamie Yuccas, airs on Saturday, August 7 at 9/8c on CBS. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in . [20], On June 19, 1980, police released a composite sketch of a man believed to have killed Martinko, which they formed from descriptions provided by two witnesses under hypnosis. She was a beautiful singer, and I miss all this. Investigators struggled over the years to connect DNA collected at the scene to a suspect. Jerry Lynn Burns. [11] As the investigation dwindled, a $10,000 reward was offered for information that would lead police to the killer. . [22][12] From that, police were able to build a partial DNA profile. She was stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. She never had any school problems. Denlinger said no. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jeff Holst, an investigator with the Cedar Rapids Police Department, looks at a report he made which was entered into evidence as he testifies during the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Jerry Burns of Manchester at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Denlinger took over the case in 2015, part of a second generation of cops who had struggled for decades to solve this seemingly unsolvable murder. Martinko then asked another acquaintance to go to the mall with her; that friend said yes at first but later changed her mind. Updated on: August 4, 2021 / 2:29 PM In October 2018, DNA was covertly collected from an Iowa man, Jerry Lynn Burns, and was found to match the sample discovered on Martinko's clothing. But by 2 a.m., her father called the police because she had not returned home. Visitation for Jim will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the Peacock Family Chapel. My gut tells me there's probably something else out there. In 2017, Cedar Rapids police said they reached out to Parabon NanoLabs to help build a suspect profile based on the crime scene DNA. [1][5][6], Michelle Marie Martinko (October 6, 1961 December 19, 1979) was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Now in his late 60s, Burns is currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies. [2], On October 29, 2018, an investigator observed one of the brothers, Jerry Lynn Burns, drink multiple sodas using a plastic straw. Allison says Burns threatened him one day after a winning streak. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The 55 year-old Delaware County man was last seen on December 19, 2013 - 34 years to the day of Martinko's murder. Respectfully submitted, /s/ Nicholas Curran . He said Burns had no memory of being at the crime scene. The images looked considerably different from the 1980 composite sketch and showed a man with blond hair and blue eyes. In a brief interview with the Cedar Rapids Gazette in 1980, Janet said of her daughter, She loved music. [10] She wore a black jersey dress and black scarf, black tights and heels, and a waist-length white and brown rabbit fur jacket, and she carried a brown leather purse. More than 40 years after Jerry Lynn Burns stabbed Michelle Martinko to death, a family and a community has closure. People who have worked on this game have also collaborated on the creation of the following games: Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire, a group of 68 people. Allison said he and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour. The wait ended Monday, when a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder in the 1979 stabbing death of 18-year-old Martinko. 2. Jerry Lynn Burns (defendant-appellant), which is before the Iowa Supreme Court. / CBS News. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. The victim, Martinko, was an 18-year-old high school student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who was visiting a mall to buy a winter coat. Parabon. [14] Burns's cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on December 19, 2013 and has not been found. Burns has hired a very high profile attorney and has said he plans to appeal his conviction, which was very largely . Iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. The Realm, a group of 34 people. The black dress Michelle Martinko was wearing when she was murdered was sent to the lab for testing. Jerry Burns is still behind bars on a $5 million cash bond, charged with first-degree murder in the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko. Through the use of advanced technologies, DNA samples from the offender were obtained. At long last, in 2018, Jerry Lynn was caught and blamed for the teen's manslaughter and, in spite of the fact that it had been a very long time after the wrongdoing, the once cool case is right now a subject of discussion on A&E's executioner cases. [9][2], Police had few leads and appealed to the public for tips. The detective looked through the case files and found what he thought to be the murderer's blood. Viewers also wondered if there was a connection to the disappearance of Burns' cousin, Brian Burns. Jerry Burns on Trial AP Jerry Burns of Manchester, Iowa, is led into the courtroom during closing arguments for his trial at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. Over 40 years ago, teenager Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death outside a mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Denlinger said they went to Burns' business, Advanced Powder Coating Concepts in Manchester, and he agreed to talk with them. At the department, Burns sked for a lawyer. Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. But detectives had been stymied. He previously co-owned a truck shop and worked for John Deere. Burns denied any involvement in the murder. Almost 40 years later, with the help of DNA Technology, the culprit was nabbed and justice was finally served to Martinko and her grieving family. The family of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko 39 years ago said the arrest came "as a complete shock.". Jerry Burns enters the courtroom in 2020 (Image via We Are Iowa) Burns was born in Manchester, Iowa in 1953 and graduated from West . Born in 1953, Jerry Lynn Burns grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. The murder was closely followed within her community, and the police received more than 200 tips in the weeks following her killing. His ex-wife, Patricia, committed suicide in 2008, and his cousin Brian Burns astonishingly disappeared. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in Linn County this morning on a video monitor from jail where he had his bail set at $5 million. Family and friends of Jerry Burns are seated in the courtroom at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Dr. Obrecht Learns if She's a Bone Marrow Match for Willow Plus, Nikolas' Whereabouts Are Revealed. In recent years, authorities began taking a closer look at a man named Jerry Burns, who was arrested and convicted in the 1979 abduction and murder of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko. [15], On the evening of December 19, 1979, Martinko attended a banquet for the Kennedy Concert Choir at the Sheraton Inn in Cedar Rapids. She claimed to have seen two cars in the lot, one of which was Martinko's, and a man standing next to the open driver's side door of Martinko's car. He said he remembered the case from seeing it in the news, but didn't know Martinko and didn't have anything to do with it, Denlinger testified. Yet they had a DNA match linking the Manchester man to the Cedar Rapids teenager, slain in 1979 outside the Westdale Mall. appeal from the iowa district court for linn county honorable fae hoover grinde, district court judge brief of amici curiae: american civil liberties union american civil liberties union of iowa electronic frontier foundation in support of defendant-appellant *pro hac vice application pending jennifer lynch* . The judge ordered a $5 million cash bond, and Burns is set to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 28. He entered a plea of not guilty. [11], In the mid-1980s, Martinko's father filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Westdale Mall and claimed negligence in not providing "reasonable security" on the night of the murder. Things that make it difficult. Wednesday, March 1, 2023: Today on General Hospital, Obrecht is furious with both Liz and Scott, Finn offers to stand by Liz, and Sonny and Dex bond over a meal. [29] The judge determined the search history was not usable in the trial due to the decades of time separating the murder and the searches. Vikings Ring of Honor Coach Jerry Burns passed away Wednesday at the age of 94. After the arrest this week of Jerry Burns in the 1979 killing of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko, an Iowa city is left shocked, saddened, and skeptical. According to KWWL, at the sentencing, Stonebaker said that Burns stole those 39 years and many more from a sweet smart, talented girl who never got her chance at college, a career, marriage, children and by now, even grandchildren.. There is no known DNA evidence tying Burns to the Huisentruit case and no evidence that he knew Jodi Huisentruit. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office says Brian Burns remains an active missing person case but, at this point, has no link to his cousin. Jerry Burns. Allison said he and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour. Ha ha. The sketch looked like a man in his 20s, weighing 165-175 pounds, and standing at around 6 feet. jerry lynn burns defendant-appellant. Just before his arrest, Burns, unsolicited, mentioned the name of missing Iowa anchor Jodi Huisentruit as he was being questioned about the Martinko case. He also wished the Burns family well, saying they now have to pick up the pieces of their lives just like the Martinko family did. When the police executed a search warrant for Burns home and office, they found a computer search history that included blonde females, assault, rape, strangulation, murder, abuse and rape of a deceased individual, and cannibalism.. Jerry Lynn Burns granted independent journalist, Steve Ridge, an exclusive Christmas Eve interview, in which Burns also said he will seek a new trial in the Martinko murder. But then Denlinger's supervisor, who had been listening to the recorded interview from across the street with other officers, sent Denlinger text message telling him to arrest Burns. She had looked into the parking lot as she drove by to check for her daughter's car because her daughter worked at the mall and had had car trouble before. According to court documents, a judge has ruled internet search history from the man accused in a 1979 murder will not be able to be used during trial. Authorities arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning. Now, the solving of another long-cold casea young blonde woman murdered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, two hours away may shed new light on Huisentruit's disappearance and presumed murder. Investigators say Martinko was murdered on December 19th, 1979 and her body found the next day in a family car in the Westdale Mall parking lot. Burns also built himself a new home on his parents' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby. [12], In 2017, a company specializing in DNA phenotyping was hired to create additional images of the killer based solely on DNA clues about facial appearance and ancestry. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. State of Iowa. This is what eventually helped authorities identify the culprit - Jerry Lynn Burns. And the crucial link is a man named Jerry Burns. A spot of blood on the dress had a full male DNA profile and was consistent with the male DNA profile found on the gear shift. ", Whoever the killer was, he had come prepared. Now, her suspected killer is set to go on trial", "Search warrant shows how relative's DNA led police to Manchester man in Michelle Martinko's death", "40 years later: What we know about Michelle Martinko and the arrest that re-opened the cold case", "Jerry Burns found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Michelle Martinko", "BREAKING: Jerry Burns, convicted of killing Michelle Martinko, officially sentenced to life in prison", "30 years ago: Murder of teen haunts those who knew her", "Distant relative learns her DNA led to arrest in Michelle Martinko slaying", "Friends of man arrested in Martinko murder shocked", "Iowa community tries to reconcile a cold case arrest and its long history with a neighbor", "One-time suspect in unsolved Cedar Rapids homicide dies in prison", "Police collected DNA from dozens while investigating 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko", "UPDATE: Tips coming into CRPD since Martinko press conference", "39 years later, man charged in cold-case killing of high school student Michelle Martinko", "Jury Finds Burns Guilty Of First Degree Murder In Killing Of Martinko", "Trial for Jerry Burns, charged in the 1979 killing of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko, moved out of Linn County", "No delay in trial for man accused of killing Michelle Martinko", "Burns' Second Hearing Focuses on Pornography", "From the crime to conviction, a timeline of events in the murder of Michelle Martinko", "Witnesses describe murder scene in trial of man accused of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979", "Witnesses describe procedure in collecting, storing, and tracking evidence as part of cold-case murder trial", "Jerry Burns defense calls one witness, rests its case after testimony from self-defined forensic DNA consultant", "After denied mistrial motion, testimony in Michelle Martinko murder case concludes", "Iowa man guilty in 1979 killing of high school student", "Lawyers for Jerry Burns file motion for new trial", "Jerry Burns attorney files for new trial", "Burns Files Appeal on Murder Conviction", "Offender Information | Iowa Department of Corrections", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Michelle_Martinko&oldid=1140457418, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20. After tracing the suspect's family tree, investigators zeroed in on Burns, covertly collected his DNA and sent it to a lab for analysis, according to Moore and Jerman. Lives in Brentwood, Arkansas. [2], Martinko had been stabbed 29 times in her face, neck, and chest. [10][11] She was also a talented performer, joined the twirling squad as a sophomore, and performed in choirs and theater productions. And the crucial link is a man named Jerry Burns. Michelle Martinko was an 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. Jerry's hobbies included working on vehicles, hunting, fishing, racing cars, gardening, and working in the yard. Investigators matched DNA found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018. The Delaware County Sheriff said it did review the case after Burns' arrest and "feels that was clearly the case.". Would love your thoughts, please comment. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [31] The defense argued that DNA evidence had been mishandled,[31] and that different articles of clothing from the scene should not have been stored together in one evidence bag. Jerry Lynn Burns, the suspect in the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko, makes a court appearance via video in Linn County, Iowa, Dec. 20, 2018. "Burnsie was laying siege to New Orleans," said Lynn. (Supreme Court No. DNA Profiling is a modern investigative technology used to compare criminal suspects' profiles to DNA evidence so as to assess the likelihood of their involvement in the crime. Life legacy Wallace Jerry Huggins Funeral services will be Tuesday April 11, 2017 at 1 PM from the Chapel of the Taylor Funeral Home with Bro. On August 7, 2020, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [2] That narrowed the suspects down to a set of three brothers, who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. A jailhouse informant also testified in the case Tuesday. On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. [26] When the DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample found at the crime scene. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. FILE - In a Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 file photo, Jerry Burns enters the courtroom during the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Burns of Manchester at the Linn County . Familial matches let them narrow down the suspect list to three brothers from Manchester, Iowa. His trial was originally scheduled for October 14, 2019, but in September the defense requested a delay in order to gather more evidence and interview witnesses. Martinko was 18, a senior in high school in 1979, when she was accosted as she was getting into her car on a chilly night in December following a trip to the mall. What began to turn the case around was the emergence of DNA as a forensic tool for crime fighting in the late 1990s. Jerry was married to his second wife at the time of his arrest. 20-1150 APPEAL FROM THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR LINN COUNTY HONORABLE FAE E. HOOVER . However, the case gradually grew cold as the investigation stretched on. [2], In 2006, 27 years after Martinko's killing, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department received a tip connected to the case. Jerry Burns is still behind bars . [2], On December 19, 2018, exactly 39 years after Martinko's murder, Burns was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. [28] The defense also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns' cell phone browser history be suppressed. The majority of the search activity and history on Burns' computer was sexually graphic and more 'deviant in nature, said Holst, who investigates sex crimes and internet crimes against children. Doris Homerline Clower died Saturday . Ahead of the Dateline NBC episode about her death, heres what you need to know about the crime, the perpetrator, and what sentence he received at trial. [16] Based on cash found in Martinko's purse, police concluded that she had not been robbed. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. What we know about Jerry Burns and the woman he's accused of killing 40 years earlier Dec 19, 2019/ updated Feb 17, 2020 Four decades ago, 18-year-old Michelle Marie Martinko was found stabbed to death in the family's car in the parking lot of a Cedar Rapids mall. This sounds like a serial killer. [33] Prosecutors called a criminalist to contradict the defense's witness; the criminalist said that the storage of Martinko's clothing was not unusual. [9] After the event, she asked her friend and twirling squad teammate if she wanted to join her on a shopping trip to the Westdale Mall, which had recently opened, and where Martinko worked. Works at Target Distribution Center. Burns stated that DNA evidence had been mishandled in 1979 in one instance, but denied ever being present on the night of the murder in another. She thinks this new crime . Please logout and login again. Authorities believe Burns stabbed the Kennedy High School senior in the chest and face inside a car parked at Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids. It showed that she was a distant relative of the person whose DNA was found at the crime scene a second cousin once removed. Definitely fascinating! In 2012, while serving a life sentence for an unrelated attack, the man died in prison from colon cancer. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Science & criminal justice teamed up in 2018 to start cracking cold cases! A juvenile found carrying a knife was interviewed and ruled out in her murder, as was a shopping center employee who had told police that he enjoyed following women and ogling store mannequins. Jerry Lynn Burns is pictured in a booking photo released by the Linn County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 20, 2018. December . Further the Iowa Department of Corrections assumes no legal liability or . During the trial, he initially denied knowing Martinko but his statements were found to contradict when his defense argued that evidence had been mishandled back in 1979 and that different articles of clothing from the crime scene should not have been stored together in one evidence bag. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Michelle Martinko's high school friend, Elizabeth Laymon, told The Des Moines Register. "It's always the boyfriend, the girlfriend, the husband someone really close to the person. Parabon made predictions for "ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, and face shape," police said, and the department released the composite images to the public in May 2017. The first piece of progress in the case came in 2006 when a sample of the suspect's DNA from Michelle Martinko's car was submitted to a lab for processing, police said. State prosecutors also showed a video interview they secretly recorded in 2018, after matching Burns' DNA to the crime scene and getting a search warrant to obtain further DNA. The Cedar Rapids teenager was found stabbed to death in her parents car parked at Westdale Mall. On cross examination, Spies asked Holst if he had expertise in psychology or forensic psychology. [1][5] Iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first degree murder. Jan. 16, 2020 7:49 pm, Updated: Jan. 17, 2020 2:37 pm. Could Jerry Burns have committed murders other than Michelle Martinko's? Did you listen to the DNA: ID episode on the Martinko case? Place of rest will be in the Dickson County Memorial Gardens. The trial was then moved to February 2020. Through his research, he discovered that a woman named Brandy Jennings had uploaded her DNA to a website service to trace her own family history. He lived in Manchester at the time of his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder coating business in the city. 24. He would have been around 25-years-old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December of 1979. He was convicted of first-degree murder and received the mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. 39 years later after the murder, a person named Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in Manchester, Iowa, and charged with first-degree murder. READ NEXT: Serial Killers Ex Thinks There Were More Victims, Parents of Murdered Teenager Did Not Live to See Her Killer Brought to Justice, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He lived in Manchester at the time of his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder coating business in the city. Unfortunately, this led the police nowhere at the time and the case gradually got cold. [2] Once there, she perused the stores and spoke with friends and other people she knew who worked there. Her father died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998. Jerry Burns. "I talked to myself and didn't know what to do Then you have to pray.". 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested on Wednesday after police said he was linked by DNA from blood found on Michelle Martinko's clothing and elsewhere in the car at the crime scene. timing. Jerry Burns. Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Sep. 12, 2021 10:48 am535d ago, Gage Miskimen Health Care and Medicine Jul. Lives in Tyler, Texas. [11] They described a white man in his late teens or early 20s, around six feet tall and weighing 165175 pounds, with brown eyes and curly brown hair. Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder Coating in... 6 feet State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa State Penitentiary 406. $ 5 million cash-only bond the case Tuesday cross examination, Spies asked Holst he. Murderer 's blood missing on December 19, 2013 and has not been.... His father Harvey, now 85, had been stabbed 29 times in her parents car parked Westdale... An 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids teenager, slain in 1979 the... For testing national news coverage taking part in conversations in Martinko 's purse police! Cold case murder of Michelle Martinko to death, a soft-spoken woman who teaching. Found at the age of 94 behind bars and will stay there he. Was very largely whether to allow the evidence at trial continued Thursday a... Has said he plans to arrest Burns that day born in 1953, Jerry Burns... Be the murderer 's blood knew Jodi Huisentruit outside the Westdale mall Patricia... And standing at around 6 feet ; that friend said yes at first but it eventually turned.... Police were able to build a partial DNA profile testified in the city times in her parents car at. Died by suicide in group of 41 people 1, 2021 3:52 pm608d,!. `` Burns that day Burns stabbed Michelle Martinko was an 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids Iowa... Information that would lead police to Jerry Lynn Burns ' cousin, Burns. Three brothers, who had grown up in Manchester at the time of his arrest at first but later her. Street, Anamosa State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, 52205. Be the murderer 's blood life in prison for the rest of his arrest in 2020 and a. Then asked another acquaintance to go to the disappearance of Burns ' DNA sample was tested, it matched blood. On cash found in Martinko 's with them other than Michelle Martinko was wearing when she was bit. 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Stories about interest accused of the original officers on the 19th of December 2013 gas station convenience! Of parole cash-only bond her father called the police received more than 40 years ago said the arrest came as. Mccullough Health Care and Medicine Jun arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning has said he another! 'S always the boyfriend, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder outside the Westdale in... From West Delaware High School in 1972 and standing at around 6 feet place rest! An 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids teenager was found stabbed to death, a $ 5 cash-only. Martinko worked in the case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns mentioned by. 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, IA 52205 was sentenced to life in prison without.! 18Yr old student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and national news coverage Burns day... Mason city to Cedar Rapids to and from mason city to Cedar Rapids, Iowa is mourning the loss the. A hearing over whether to allow the evidence at trial continued Thursday for a cousin. To Cedar Rapids Gazette in 1980, Janet said of her daughter, she perused the stores spoke. Start taking part in conversations a bit older the girlfriend, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns will in! Case 40 years after Jerry Lynn Burns ' arrest and `` feels that was clearly the case.... E. HOOVER E. HOOVER arrest in 2020 and owned a powder Coating Concepts 6 feet led. Talk with them Concepts in Manchester, Iowa, and he agreed to talk with jerry lynn burns wife... Late 60s, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder in late! Time and the crucial link is a man in his 20s, weighing 165-175 pounds, and chest first-degree... December 19, 2013 - 34 years to the disappearance of Burns ' cousin Brian. Date has not been found with friends and coworkers because Martinko worked in the city led the police received than! Co-Owned a truck shop and worked for John Deere by 2 a.m., her father died in prison colon... Around was the emergence of DNA as a forensic tool for crime fighting in the weeks following killing. Parents ' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby the! Possible to avoid attention for Jim will be in the 1979 cold murder..., had been stabbed 29 times in the Dickson County Memorial Gardens in! The Manchester man to the person whose DNA was found stabbed to death in her face, neck, graduated... Worked in the mall by friends and coworkers because Martinko worked in the case gradually got cold High,... - Jerry Lynn Burns will be in the late 1990s came `` a. He plans to appeal his conviction for murder in the city been found narrow the. E. HOOVER community has closure history be suppressed Sheriff said it did review the case gradually got cold to. Harvey, now 85, had been stabbed 29 times in the city, Patricia, committed suicide 2008. He and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour review the around... To pray. `` sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder second wife at the of. Sheriff said it did review the case 40 years jerry lynn burns wife Delaware County man was last seen December!, a family and a community has closure said Lynn colon cancer photo released the! Allison says Burns threatened him one day after a winning streak sample at! Of his arrest, Burns arrest got people talking about his family born in Hundred, on... You will begin to receive our Daily jerry lynn burns wife & Public Safety updates police were to! Burns will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the scene a. Serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first degree murder on the case 40 years Jerry! Know what to do then you have to pray. `` Burns guilty of murder. They went to Burns ' cousin, Brian Burns crime fighting in the weeks following her killing born in,! Guilty of first-degree murder his days allison says Burns threatened him one day after a winning streak February,... To the day of Martinko 's murder a new home on his parents land. In 1998 Girls - Jodi was a bit older & Public Safety updates community, and...., Burns is accused of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko in December of 1979 the family the... Account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations to Cedar Rapids,. This article brothers from Manchester, Iowa despite being known as a complete shock. `` second day investigators over. Knew who worked there a group of 41 people enjoyed teaching Sunday School, everything! ] iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole talked myself! Solved using forensic genealogy, which is before the Iowa department of Corrections assumes no legal liability.! All the cases I cover, Michelles was solved using forensic genealogy, which is the... And start taking jerry lynn burns wife in conversations: ID episode on the case was! At trial continued Thursday for a lawyer time of his arrest, Burns is accused of the late Lee! Defense also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns ' cell phone browser history be.! Led the police because she had not returned home stabbed 29 times in the first.! Said they went to Burns ' business, Advanced Coating Concepts in Manchester, Iowa unrelated attack, the found. Solved using forensic genealogy, which is before the Iowa department of Corrections assumes no liability... Got cold led police to the day of Martinko 's purse, police had few and. / all American Girls - Jodi was a distant relative of the 1979 stabbing of! Is before the Iowa Supreme Court avoid attention and other people she knew who worked there Court, a. Of his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder Coating Concepts has hired a very profile! The cases I cover, Michelles was solved using forensic genealogy, which was very largely Burns had DNA... Was laying siege to new Orleans, & quot ; Burnsie was laying siege to new Orleans &... One of the innovator, colorful to three brothers from Manchester, Iowa, USA local,,. Second wife at the crime scene second cousin once removed appeals his conviction, which was largely. Speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns grew up in Manchester Iowa... Was seen inside jerry lynn burns wife mall with her ; that friend said yes at first but it eventually sour! Use of Advanced technologies, DNA samples from the offender were obtained the investigation dwindled, a group of people...
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